#51: Declan Rothwell - Acupuncture; an Ancient Medicine
In this episode, Jim speaks with renowned acupuncture practitioner, Declan Rothwell. Declan, based in Dublin, speaks on his journey towards acupuncture and how he walked away from a secure office job to pursue a career in this Ancient Chinese Medicine. He explains in plain language what are the beliefs underpinning this practice, what are the core aims, and why it can ‘work’ for some people and not for others. Declan also provides clear examples of patient transformations after undergoing acupuncture and what he believes are key tenets to health. This is an insightful chat hearing about a polarising form of healing (especially in the West) from someone who has been practicing for over 25 years. We hope this opens your mind to this ancient medicine and the beliefs underpinning it.
Here are 3 reasons why you should listen to the full episode:
1. What is acupuncture and what do the needles do?
2. Why does it help heal some people and not others?
3. What can acupuncture help heal?
6 Powerful Quotes from This Episode
“When I first went to acupuncture, my back didn’t get better. I was very simplistic. My back didn’t immediately improve, but my mood did. I felt my energy increase. I didn’t even think my energy was low but it increased after the first sessions and then my back started to improve. I experienced profound changes in myself that I didn’t ask for.”
“The Ancient Chinese discovered that the key to health is the proper distribution of energy throughout the entire organism. This energy, which we feel as vitality, this is not something esoteric. This is something we feel every day. There’s an energy system inside us and we need to have this system balanced and harmonious.”
“Pain is a wake-up call for us. It’s saying ‘there’s something wrong, HELP’. It’s feedback from the body that something needs attention, something is out of balance”
“This medicine is preventative in origin. There is no panacea. If you have a hip problem and the joint has gone out of place then you’ll need a hip replacement. Acupuncture can’t help the joint. However, acupuncture can help their body to come back into balance after a surgery to integrate and support the new joint in the body”
“Hydration is a foundational aspect of healing. It is also important to acknowledge that healing doesn’t happen in a straight line.”
“We are complex beings and there are complex reasons as to why certain systems of medicine don’t work for people”.
Episode Highlights
Nature is much wiser than me
● Declan reveals how acupuncture is designed to get to the root cause of an issue, not to just treat the symptoms. He makes the point that even though he just thought there was just something wrong with his back, this was only a symptom of an issue which the acupuncture method addressed at its root. Once the root cause is addressed, the symptom (Declan’s back pain) went away. He described this process as nature being wiser than him!
● This inspired Declan to study this ancient medicine, he describes himself as a ‘converted patient’.
You don’t need to believe to be healed
● Declan makes it clear that you don’t necessarily have to understand or believe all of the beliefs surrounding Acupuncture. He says that many of his patients are not interested in a discussion about acupuncture, they are interested in getting well. You can’t argue with results and that’s the basis of this medicine.
Pain is a wakeup call for us
● We’ve all taken a tablet to help ease a headache or another manifestation of pain. Pain should be minimized when possible right? Well, an alternative understanding of pain is that it is in fact, intelligence from the body. In Declan’s words, it is a wake-up call to encourage us to give our bodies more attention. So while experiencing pain is often very challenging, perhaps we should appreciate the fact that this pain has arisen from nowhere and that this is a reminder that something is out of balance. Numbing the pain while not interrogating a root cause will probably not help us in addressing the pain on a sustainable scale.
Basis for Acupuncture Approach
● Declan explains that in utero, or in early childhood something happens that leads us to be deficient in one of the five elements. This becomes our weakest link, the cause of our disease, impacting the natural energetic flow of the body. Acupuncture diagnoses which of the five elements that is no longer working in the way nature ordained it to and treats this energy thus, re-balancing the body energetically. If we don’t have a good spring, all the other seasons will be affected by this, our bodies function in a very similar way, according to this Ancient Chinese medicine.
Enjoy this Podcast?
We are very grateful to Declan for giving us his time and speaking so eloquently about a healing method that is quite divisive for many. His clarity in discussing the fundamentals of acupuncture made for a thoroughly enjoyable conversation. Even for those who have no intention of undergoing acupuncture, it’s fair to say that there were plenty of tips along the way which we can all try to integrate into our lives to see if our experience of life improves. It does seem we can’t get away from the healing power of nature! If you want to learn more about Declan Rothwell and 5-element acupuncture check out the link provided below. As ever, thanks a million for listening! We would love to hear your feedback!
https://classicalacupuncture.ie/about-declan-rothwell/
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